To Save the Future
by Dana1
Summary: The Fantastic Four rushe to the past once more but this time it's not to stop the accident, it's to save two Johnny Storms
1. Chicken Pox

Title: To Save the Future

Author: Dana

Rating: PG

Summary: Fantastic Four rushes to the past once more but this time it's not to stop the accident, it's to save two Johnny Storms

Author's note: This takes place during the Ultimate Fantastic Four era.

Disclaimer: Sorry the muses have been bugging me like crazy to do a Fantastic Four fanfic. You know how muses are. If you don't listen to them they'll stop talking to you.

Johnny Storm sat staring out the window of the Baxter Building lost in thought. He was itching to go out but he had the chicken pox. It was just his luck. He had to get the chicken pox not only again but when he was an adult. His brother-in-law, Reed Richards, had told him it was worse when you were an adult.

It also seemed to be a lot worse when you were a super hero because when he tried to flame on, he had nearly burned the tree he had been standing in front of instead of himself.

"This sucks." Johnny said turning around to face the only other person in the room, Ben Grimm. "I had a date with Shelly tonight and I'm stuck in here with chicken pox."

"Give it a rest Bichead. You've been whining about it since I got home. Reed's not gonna let you out so shut up and watch TV."

"Johnny?" Franklin Storm asked coming into the room. "Sue said you were sick. You aren't shedding your skin again are you?"

"No but I'd rather be." He turned around to face him. "I've got the chicken pox."

"Well I have something for you." He said tossing him a package.

Johnny opened it and looked at it. "Uh thanks." He said looking at the book. He was pretty sure his dad knew he wasn't that into reading.

Franklin smiled. "Don't worry I didn't get it for you." He said obviously reading his mind. "It arrived earlier today."

Johnny opened the book and found a scrawled note on the first page.

To the youngest Storm,

Do you remember where you saw this book? You may find this book useful in the near future.

We'll see each other soon.

It was unsigned.

Johnny turned the book over again. It was the Time Machine by Orson Wells.

His brow furrowed. He had read that book when he was a freshman in high school. Well actually they had watched the movie in class but he had totally ignored the book since it wasn't required reading. He handed the book to his father.

"Odd." Franklin said before setting the book down. "I need to get back down to the labs. I told Reed I'd help him with his latest experiment. Feel better son." He said and left the room.

"Great." He said reaching to scratch his arms.

"Ouch!" Ben said ducking. "Watch where you throw those flames will ya Matchstick?"

"Sorry Ben." He grumbled. Chicken Pox was the last thing he needed.

The room was filled with a bright light blinding both of them. Johnny felt himself being manhandled and something being slapped on his arm.

"Flame on!" He yelled but nothing happened.

"Johnny!" He heard Ben yelling before he was pulled backwards. He felt Ben's strong arm reach and grab him and started to pull him but he still went flying and disappeared


	2. Ego buster

Johnny looked around in surprise. One moment he was talking to Ben and the next he was in Central Park. He had to fight the urge to scratch his arm for fear he'd burn down the whole park.

A few mothers gave him strange looks as they quickly ushered their kids away. He knew for once it wasn't who he was that caused this. It was the chicken pox.

Johnny yelled, "Flame on!" He was a little more then surprised when nothing happened so he tried again. "Flame on!" Still nothing. He hit his communicator and got nothing but static. He gave up and hailed a cab. "Baxter Building."

"Sure pal." The cabby said as he drove away from the curb. They drove awhile before the driver said, "so are you one of those geniuses?"

Johnny was slightly taken aback by this. "I'm the Human Torch."

"Who?"

"The Human Torch. You know part of the Fantastic Four."

"Oh sure now I know who you are. You are one of those dare devils that perform on TV jumping over things."

Johnny slumped down in his seat. "No." He said with a sigh. It wasn't often that he came across someone who didn't know who he was. It certainly was an ego buster.

"Here you go Mr. Torch." The cabby said stopping in front of the Baxter Building. "That will be $20."

Johnny searched his pockets and realized he was wearing sweats and didn't have his wallet with him. "Wait here I need to get my wallet." He got out of the cab and hurried inside.

"Can I help you?" A voice asked. "He turned around to see Monique Vanderhoff sitting at a desk. He remembered that she had been a receptionist there when he was a kid.

"Monique it's me Johnny."

"Johnny who?"

"Johnny Storm."

"Sir I don't think so." She said reaching for the phone. "Johnny Storm is eight-years-old."

"Hey kid are you going to pay me or what?" The cabby asked coming into the room.

"In a second." He said walking past Monique. "I just need to get my wallet."

"Sir!" Monique yelled. "Where are you going? You can't go in there! Security!"

A couple of guards came running up to them. "Let go of me I live here! Go get my dad or sister they'll vouch for me!"

"Who are they?" One of the guards asked.

"Franklin and Susan Storm."

"He keeps saying he's Johnny Storm." Monique said.

"Yeah that's what he told me." The cabby agreed.

"Can we see some identification?"

"Identification?" He asked. "Do I look like I have identification on me?" He said indicating the fact that he didn't

have any pockets.

"What is going on here?" Franklin Storm asked joining them. Johnny's brow furrowed. His dad looked a lot younger then he did the last time he saw him.

"This man claims to be Johnny Storm."

"That's ridiculous. My son is eight years old."

"Where is your son?" The guard asked.

"Up in his room. He has a case of..." His voice trailed off. "chicken pox."

Johnny was scratching his arm and stopped when he heard those two words.

That was how old he was when he first got chicken pox.

What was going on here?


	3. Crush

"Okay so I know this sounds crazy." Johnny said as soon as he and his father were sitting in a conference room. "But you gotta believe me I'm Johnny Storm."

"Let's just say that is true," Franklin said sitting back watching him for a moment. "Then explain to me how you are here?"

"I don't know! I'm not some scientist like you, mom, and Sue are. One moment I'm talking to Ben and the next I'm being yanked backwards and land in Central Park." He scratched at his arm which was really starting to itch. He still worried he would unleash a fireball accidentally.

"Did you say your mother?" Franklin asked sounding a little more suspicious.

"Yeah I know she's not dead." He sighed. "But it's okay. Everything's okay now."

"I need you to give me a strand of your hair so I can run the DNA test to see if you are telling us the truth or if you are lying. Believe me if you are lying I will have you arrested."

"I'm not lying." Johnny said and then took pulled a strand of hair out of his head. He didn't like the idea of ruining his hair that way. He quickly handed it to his father.

"This unfortunately takes some time." Franklin said with a sigh. Then he smiled. "Fingerprints."

"Huh?"

"When Johnny was small I took him to one of those child safety booths and got an id for him. I'll be right back." He came back with ink and a piece of paper and Johnny willingly let him do the test. We should have the results soon."

He stood there for a few seconds watching Johnny scratch his arms and sighed. He turned to one of the soldiers that were in the room. "Can you get one of the vacant rooms ready? Even if he's lying, I can't stand to see him suffer."

"Of course Dr. Storm." The soldier said and left the room.

"Stay here." Franklin said and left the room.

Johnny got out of his seat and waited until he knew his father was out of view before trying the door and found it unlocked. He went back out and up to the receptionist desk where Monique was sitting.

"Excuse me." He said smiling at her.

She looked up. "Shouldn't you be with Dr. Storm?"

"He went to check my fingerprints." He said with a sigh. "I was wondering if you were doing anything tonight."

"Excuse me?" She asked not sounding too pleased.

"I'm almost embarrassed to admit this," Johnny said in a quiet voice, "but when I was a kid I had the biggest crush on you. So I'm much older now and so I think it could work. What time do you get off?"

"Five thirty." She said sounding more then a little weary. "But you are what? Sixteen?"

"Seventeen."

"And I'm twenty four. Sorry kid would never work. Besides I'm married."

"You are what?" He said in shock.

"Hey you!" Someone called.

Johnny turned around to see the soldier standing there.

"Crap."


	4. Testing a Theory

"I'm going I'm going." Johnny sighed as he was escorted into the conference room he had been in. He hadn't planned to leave he just didn't like being cooped up. They entered the conference room and Johnny returned to his seat. The soldier stayed in the room and didn't leave this time.

It seemed like forever to Johnny before his dad came in and sat down in a chair just staring at him. "It's not possible."

"Fingerprints back?" Johnny asked with a smile.

"Yes and I still don't know what to believe. You are my son and yet, you are from the future. Are you sure you don't know how you got here?"

"Nope don't have a clue. I was in my room talking to Ben and then I was pulled backwards. The really weird part is right before that happened I got a package. I thought it was somebody's idea of a sick joke because it was a book and I hate to read."

"Which book was it?" Franklin asked taking his notebook out of his picket along with a pen.

"Time Machine. There was a note that said: To the youngest Storm. Then it asked if I remembered the book and that it would be useful in the near future. No one had signed it. Oh and they said we'll see each other soon."

"Interesting." Franklin said tapping the pen on the notebook. "You say it arrived right before it happened?"

"Well I'm not sure when it arrived. You handed it to me right before it happened." He sighed as his itchiness started to come back.

Franklin turned to one of the soldiers. "is the room ready?"

"Yes sir. We have him in one of the rooms as far as from the other children as you requested."

"Good." He turned to Johnny. "I expect that you will stay in the room at all times unless you need to use the restroom. We can't have you running into your younger self or your sister. Come."

Johnny sighed as he followed his father out of the room. His father probably would never change.

* * *

"What do you mean he's gone?" Susan asked Ben.

"He's gone. I don't know what happened to him. One minute we are talking and the next he disappears. I tried to save him but whatever had a hold of him was stronger then me Suzie."

"Did you see who it was?" Franklin asked.

"Nope. There was no one there."

"Could it be he was playing a trick just to escape?" Reed asked.

"Nah that's impossible." Ben said. "The kid doesn't have those kinda powers Stretcho. Someone or something grabbed him."

"So we need to go by the fact that someone kidnapped Johnny." Franklin said rubbing a hand over his eyes. "We don't know who or what or why. But I need answers. Reed did you ever finish that last project you were working on for the Ultimates?"

"Yes I was just waiting for a reason to test it first." He said. "I suppose it might give us some clue as to what happened but it could prove to be useless."

"What exactly is this gizmo?" Ben asked.

"It's to detect magic." Franklin explained before turning back to Reed. "Anything's worth a shot at this point."

"Agreed." Reed said. "I'll go get it and let you know what I find out." He said before leaving the room. Ben followed saying he wanted to see how it worked.

Sue and Franklin were left in the room. "I still can't believe someone snatched Johnny right from under our noses." Sue said to her father.

"I know." Franklin said resting a hand on her shoulder. "But we'll find him."

Sue just nodded not sure of what to think at the moment.


End file.
